Russia: Orthodox Leader Presses for More Adoptions

The patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church used his Christmas address on Monday to encourage Russians to adopt orphans, as the country adjusts to a decision to bar Americans from adopting Russian children. The ban, which is retaliation for American legislation intended to punish Russian human rights violators, drew criticism, including from some government officials, largely because 120,000 children in Russia are awaiting adoption. “How important it is that our people should gladly, with a special feeling of gratitude to God, take orphans into their families,” Patriarch Kirill I said in a recorded address broadcast for Orthodox Christmas on Monday. “We should not have orphans in our country,” he added.

A version of this brief appears in print on January 8, 2013, on page A8 of the New York edition with the headline: Russia: Orthodox Leader Presses for More Adoptions. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe